“What Congress is considering would cut money that vulnerable patients rely on the most. That means seniors, children and Americans who rely on Medicaid would be hurt. … Tell Congress we can end surprise billing without shredding the safety net.”

— Physicians for Fair Coverage, in a national commercial which began airing in mid-July.

Chances are, you or someone you know has gotten a surprise medical bill. One in six Americans have received these unexpected and often high charges after getting medical care from a doctor or hospital that isn’t in their insurance network.

It’s become a hot-button issue in Congress, and high-profile legislation has been introduced in both the House and Senate to make the medical providers and insurers address the billing question and take the consumers out of the dispute. That means doctor specialty groups, hospitals and insurers are among the stakeholders that could be financially affected by the outcome….